Rib-knitted fabric.



No. 869,986. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. I

R. W. SCOTT.

RIB KNITTED FABRIC. rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 0122s, 1906.

, A v @Jz" v 2 alggis zix zi'mfi mm as hma 5 l L as No. 869,986. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

R. W. SCOTT.

RIB KNITTED FABRIC. APILIUATION FILED 00T.25, 1905.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

No. 869,986. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. R. W. SCOTT. RIB KNITTED FABRIC.

APPLICATION TILED 00125, 1905.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

No. 869,986. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907. R. W. SCOTT. RIB KNITTED FABRIC.

APPLIOATION FILED 00125, 1905.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

R. W. SCOTT. RIB KNITTED FABRIC.

APPLICATION TILED OOT.25, 1905.

PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT W. SCOTT, OF LEEDS POINT, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LOUIS N. D.

WILLIAMS, OF OGONTZ, PENNSYLVANIA.

RIB-KNITTED FABRIC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed October 25. 1905. Serial No- 284.395.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Ronsnr W. Soon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Leeds Point, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Rib-Knitted Fabrics, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a rib knitted fabric having in one portion a greater number of wales than in the other, for instance, the fabricmay be a tube having in one portion 160 or 180 wales and in the other portion only 120 wales, or the fabric may have in the portion containing the greater number of wales a twoand-one rib or a two-and-two rib, and in the portion having the lesser number of wales a one-and-one rib.

The fabric is such that it can be readily produced upon a circular knitting machine, change in the character of the web being effected by manipulation of the needles of the machine and without stopping said machine or requiring the intervention of an attendant, the inventiolg being therefore especially adapted for use in the manufacture of hosiery upon automatic knitting machines. ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1, represents, on a much exaggerated scale, a fabric made in accordance with my invention and in which the change is from web having the greater number of wales toweb having the lesser number of wales; Fig. 2, is a similar view illustrating a web in which the disparity between the I number of wales in the two webs is still greater; Fig. 3,

is a view illustrating a fabric in which the web having the greater number of wales is a tWo-and-one rib, and the web having the lesser number of wales is a one-andone rib; Fig. 4, is a view representing a fabric in which the web having the greater number of wales is a two'and-two rib and that having the lesser number of wales is a one-and-one rib; Figs. 5 and 6, represent webs in which the change is effected from web having the lesser number of wales to web having the greater number of wales; Figs. 7 to 16 are diagrams showing the relative arrangement of cylinder and dial needles in machines for producing the different fabrics shown; Figs. 17 and 18, are sectional views illustrating sufficient of a knitting machine to show the method of transfor when a stitch is changed from a dial needle toa cylinder-needle; Figs. 19 and 20, are similar views illustrating the method of transferring from a cylinder needle to a dial needle; and Fig. 21, is an exaggerated view showing the tubular fabric as it appears upon the needles of the machine at the time that the change from one character of web to the other is being efiected.

In Fig. 1, of the drawing, 0 represent plain stitch wales or those formed upon the cylinder needles of the machine, and b represent rib stitch wales 'or those formed upon the dial needles of the machine, the web in courses 1 and 2 representing a one-and-one rib having a certain number of wales, say 160, in a tube of given diameter, and the web in courses 4 and 5 representing a one-and-one rib having a lesser number of wales, say 120, the change being effected by interknitting in course 3, stitches of certain plain stitch wales, o with adjoining rib wales b and in course 2 by transforming the rib wale b into a plain stitch wale d.

The arrangement of needles for knitting this fabric may be similar to that shown in Figs. 7 and 8, in which 2; represent cylinder needles which are always in action, IL" represent cylinder needles from which stitches are transferred onto adjoining dial needles, w represent cylinder needles which are inoperative during the production of the web containing the greater number of wales but receive stitches from corresponding dial needles before commencing the production of web having the lesser number of wales, 3 represent dial needles which are always in action, y represent dial needles from which stitches are transferred onto previously inoperative cylinder needles w, and 3 represent dial needles which receive stitches from the adjoining cylinder needless. This fabric is, therefore, composed in part of plain wales, in part of rib wales, in part of composite wales in'which rib wales ar transformed into plain wales by direct transfer of stitches from dial to cylinder needles, and in part of the rib wales which have adjoining plain wales interknitted with or merged intothem.

The fabric has what is termed a thirty-three-and-onethird (33%) per centdoubling, that is to say, the'web having the greater number of wales has thirty-threeand-one-third (33*) per cent. more wales than the web having the lesser number of wales.

In Fig. 2, I have shown a fabric in which a fifty (50) per cent. doubling' has been eff ted; a and b in this case representing respectively plain wales and rib wales which continue as such throughout the fabric,

0 representing a plain Wale which is interknitted with I an adjoining rib wale and b representing a rib Wale which is interknitted with the adjoining plain wile.

The arrangement of needles forproducing this fabric is shown in Figs. 9 and 10, :1: representing continuously acting cylinder needles, 3 representing continuously acting dial. n'eedlesfz representing cylinder needles from which stitches are transferred, x representing v from which stitches are transferred onto the cylinder noodles at.

The fabric shown in Fig. 3, has, in courses 1 and 2, a web consisting of a two-and-one rib, that is to say, one having pairs of plain wales alternating with single rib wales, while the web shown in courses 4 and 5, is a onetwo-and two rib in one portion and a one-.and-one rib in the other portion. courses I and 2, showing the twoand-two rib, courses 4 and 5 showing the one-and-one rib, and course 3 representing the change course, the change in this case being effected by interknitting stitches of plain wales u with adjoining rib wales l). and stitches of rib wales If with adjoining plain wales a.

The relative arrangement of cylinder and dial necdles for producing a fabric of this character is shown in Figs. 13 and H. in which 1' represents the cylinder necdles which are always in actioiny represent the dial greater number of wales, and in F gs needles which are always in action, 2. represent the cylinder needles which transfer their stitches to adjoining dial needles'yand 3 represent the dial needles which transfer their stitches to adjoining cylinder needles.

In all of the fabrics thus far described, the. change is effected from a web having the greater number of wales to a web having thelesser number of wales, but a reverse operation may be resorted to in accordance with my invention. Thus in Fig. 5, I have shown a fabric in which a one-and-one rib web is changed to a twoand-one rib web, a representing the continuousplain wales and b the continuous rib wales, while 0 represent plain wales which, in course 3, are introduced between the adjoining plain and rib wales, the first stitches of each of said introduced plain wales engaging with a stitch in course I of the adjoining rib wale.

In the arrangement of needles for producing this fabric, shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a; represent the continuously acting cylinder needles, y the continuously acting dial needles, and 1' the. introduced cylinder needles, the object of interknitting the'first course of each additional plain wale with a precedently formed- In Fig. 6, a similar fabric is shown, in which, howi ever, the first stitch of each plain wale introduced in course 3 is caused to engage with a stitch in conrse 2, of the adjoining rib wale, this effect being produced by causing the cylinder needle to engage with the stitch on the dial needle instead of with a precedently formed stitch.

In Figs. .7, 9, 11, 13 and 16, the dottedlines represent the I order of succession of the need as to which the knitting yarnis fed in producing f: behaving the 10, 12, 14 and 15, the dotted lines represent the lik ing the webs having the lesser number 6 5 n carrying out my invention, of machine may be employed, but in Figs. 17 and 18, l have shown sufficient of the elements of one form of machine which has proven effective in practice to impart a proper understanding of the manner of manipulating the needles to effect the transfer of stitches from one to another. in these views 10 represents part of a needle cylinder, and ll part of the dial. on the inside of the cylinder. The dial needles are carried by the lower ends of jacks l2, pivotally mounted upon a fixed ring 13, and having their upper ends acted upon by cams upon a. cam plate 14, this plate having two sets of cams; one for acting upon the jacks so as to cause operation I of the dial needles for ordinary knitting. and another set for causing abnormal projection of the dial needles, so as to carry them outwardly beyond the cylinder needles. This has the effect of drawing or stretching thewebs so as to dispose the stitches of the same over the cylinder, as shown in Fig. ]7,hence cylinder needles may be projected and caused to enter said stitches, as also shown in said Fig. l7, the dial needles from which stitches are to be transferred directly to the naked cylinder needles in preserving their normal position above said needles w while being thus projected, but the dial needles which have to double their stitches with those of the cylinder needles being shogged or moved laterally into line with the cylinder needles which are to receive such stitches, the projection of the dial needles being such as either to bring the stitches upon them, or precedently formed stitches, above the cylinder needles which are to engage the same.

When the cylinder needles are projected so as to enter the stitches upon the dial needles, either of said needles may be moved laterally to the extent necessary to cause engagement of the cylinder needles with the dial stitches, and the dial needles can then be withdrawn so as to cast their stitches onto the cylinder needles,

engage stitches other than those upon the dial needles, the lateral movement referred to will not be necessary.

When a transfer is to be effected from a'cylinder needle to a dial needle, said cylinder needles are'in like manner abnormally projected, so that lugs or projections such as w upon them may stretch the cylinder stitches so as to draw them, or precedently formed cylinder stitches, into line with the dial needles,-the latter being, if necessary, shog'ged or moved laterally into line with the cylinder needles from which the transferis to be effected. i

The operation of transferring from a cylinder needle I to a dial needle is represented in Figs. 19 and 20.

My improved fabric can be knitted without arresting I the operation of the machine and by the use ofa continuous yarn it being understood that the knitting i cams and the transfer cams are disposed at points so l remote from each other that the knitting operation can be going forward upon certain of the needles of the machine while stitches are being transferred to l I V other needles of the machine at a point more or lea n mote from the knitting point, thus in Fig. 21, X repra sents the knitting point and Y the transfer point. at fiwhich point is shown the beginning of the operation der improducof transferring stitches from dial needles 3 onto cylinder needles w.

The term continuous does not necessarily imply as shown in Fig. 18, but when the cylinder needles a at the point of change.

unbroken continuity oi a single yarn, but merely a i continuous iced of yarn to needles of one and the saute machine. 1

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A urachineknit ribbed fabric comprising two webs. one having wales in excess of those in the other. sortie of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs. and other wales of each face being interknlttcd with wales ot' the other face at the point of change: I

2. A machine-knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, one having wales in excess of those in the other. some of the wales of each face extending .througlrout both webs, and other wales of either face having stitches drawn only through wales ot' the other face where the change of web is effected.

Cl. A tnachine-knlt ribbed fabric comprising two webs, one having wales in excess of those in the other, some of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs and stitches of wales of each face being drawn through a single l stitch of a preceding course at the point of change. t

4. A seamless, tubular. rnachineknit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, one having wales in exccs of those in the other. some of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs, and other wales oi each face being interknittcd with wales of the other face at the point of change. I t

7-. A seamless, tubular, machine-knit ribbed fabric c01n I prising two webs, one having wales in excess of those in 1 tlic other, some of the wales of each face extending l throughout both webs, and other wales of either face having stitches drawn only through wales of the other face here the change of web is effected.

6. A seamless. tubular, machine-knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, one having wales in excess of those in the other, sorneof the wales of each face extending throughout both webs, and stitches of wales of each face being drawn through a single stitch of :1 preceding course 't. A machine-knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, and having a yarn common to both, one of the webs having wales in excess of those in the other. some of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs, and other \\'Zlll of each face being irrtcrkulttcd with wales of the other face at the point of change.

A machine knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, and having a varrr corumon to both. one of the webs having walc in excess of those in the other, some of the wales of each tat c extending throughout both webs. and other wales of citlrcr face having stitches drawn only through wales of the other face where the change of web is eft'cctcd .l. A machine-knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs, and having a yarn cuitiilruit to both. one of the webs having wales in excess of those in the other. some of the wales ol' cach face extending throughout both webs and stitches of wales of each face being drawn through ti single stitch of a prccmlingmortise at the point of change.

1". A seamless. tubular, machine-knit ribbed fabric corriprisiug two webs having a yarn corrunorr to both, one of the webs having wales in excess of those in the other, some of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs, and other wales of each face being lntcrknitted with wales of thc other face at the point of change. a

ii. A scztlltlcss, tubular. rnachineknit ribbed fabric cornprlsing two webs having a yarn cornnron'to both, one ot' the webs having wales itr excess. of tirose iii the other, sonre of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs, :llltl other wales of either face having stitches drawn only through wales ot' the other face where the change of web is effected. v

ii. A seamless, tubular, machine-knit ribbed fabric comprising two webs having a yarn "common to both. one of the webs having wales in excess of those in the other. some of the wales of each face extending throughout both webs and stitches of wales of each face being drawrrthrough a single stitch of a preceding course at the point-o hange.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciticatiolt. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT W. SCOTT.

Witnesses War/rm: (tarsal, .ios. ll. KLnru.' 

